


Ice in Her Veins

by orphan_account



Series: Dangerous Nights [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Blood Drinking, Carmilla AU, F/F, Fem Frostiron, Female Loki (Marvel), Female Tony Stark, Frostiron Femslash, Gothic, Horror, Lady Loki (Marvel) - Freeform, Vaginal Fingering, Vampire Loki, carmilla au part 2: the electric boogaloo, femfrostiron, gothic horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:08:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22198345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Historians have scoured the diaries of Antonia Stark and Loki [Unknown family name] to understand what really happened during their stay at the Rogers' Manor in the early 1870s. The following narrative is the uncensored story they have managed to put together.Antonia Stark is not your average young woman. Neither is Loki. When they meet, something more than friendship develops, but can their relationship stand the secrets that Loki is keeping?
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Series: Dangerous Nights [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1499612
Comments: 11
Kudos: 37





	Ice in Her Veins

**Author's Note:**

> hi so college happened and my stepdad died and finals also happened all at the same time like i had 10 essays due all at varying times all within a month at one point and i was dying and thats why it took so long for this to get finished hahahahaha  
> anyway  
> first off you probs need to read the first carmilla au to get what happens in this piece and why stuff happens the way it does. you can _probs_ read this and not be toooo confused but also? read the historical lesbians, please  
> second- Two research notes- a clitoris was called a clitoris after the 17th century, and stethoscopes were invented in the early 1800s, making it entirely plausible for the doctor to carry one with him for examinations. That is all.  
> also! for my frostiron bingo square B4-- historical

Antonia woke up.

She didn't know why or how but she did. Her eyes snapped open and blinked in the silvery light of the full moon outside her window.

A noise sounded outside her room like someone was creeping outside the door, before it slowly creaked open, a soft whine escaping from the hinges as it did.

"Who's there?" Antonia whispered, feeling a shiver of fear trickle down her spine.

The figure behind the door stopped in its tracks, pausing just outside of the beam of moonlight that usually fell on the door. Then they stepped forward and she saw that it was  _ Loki _ behind the door.

“Are you alright, Loki?” She asked, worried for her friend.

“Yes… I just.” Loki paused for a moment. “Couldn’t sleep. May I come lay down with you?”

“Of course,” Antonia said, drawing back the blankets on the other side of the bed. “Have you been having trouble sleeping this entire time? Is that why you sleep so late?” 

“I’m afraid it is,” Loki sighed, walking across the room. She laid down in the bed and drew the blankets up under her chin. “It has been a lifelong affliction, something no doctor has been able to solve for me.”

“I would have been happy to share my chambers if it helped you sleep better sooner, my dear, you must know that.” Antonia reached across the bed under the blankets and grasped Loki’s hand.

Loki squeezed Antonia’s hand in hers. “I know, I simply didn’t want to bother you.”

“It would never be a bother,” Antonia murmured, looking across the bed at her. “Never.”

Loki returned her gaze. “I’m starting to believe that.”

Antonia felt the corner of her mouth twitch up in a half-smile before she could stop herself. Then she shifted across the bed, closer to Loki, and drew her into an embrace. She moved until Loki’s head was nestled beneath her chin and her hands were tucked close to her breast. 

“Are you comfortable?” Antonia asked, glancing down at what little of Loki’s face she could see— a sliver of the side of her face. A corner of her eye and the sweep of her cheekbone.

Red swept across Loki’s cheek and she nodded quickly, tucking her face further into Antonia’s neck. Her lips rested against her pulse point and Antonia felt her heart start beating faster at the touch.

Loki let out a soft whine, something she had probably hoped Antonia wouldn’t hear, but she did.

“Loki?”

“You’re so  _ warm _ ,” Loki whispered, lips brushing against her skin, and this time something new raced down Antonia’s spine. Something she had never felt before.

Antonia couldn’t repress the minute shiver that made its way through her body.

“What keeps you up at night?” She asked, trailing her fingers up and down Loki’s back, unable to stop herself from touching her.

Loki gave a shiver of her own in her arms. “Just— thoughts race around my mind, and I get cold at night.”

“Would more blankets help?” Antonia asked, wanting to draw the blankets more fully around them as she spoke.

“I already have five quilts. And have the maid heat the blankets with the warming-pan, and then leave it there for a while before I sleep,” Loki said, a certain wryness in her voice. “I don’t think there is much else to do except setting myself on fire, and that’s not something I think I would survive.”

“No,” Antonia laughed. “I don't think anyone would.”

“But you,” Loki sighed, her breath fanning across Antonia’s skin. “You warm me to the core, how do you do it?”

“I—” Antonia said, darting her tongue out to wet her lips. “I don’t know.”

She felt Loki shift beside her until they were face to face. Loki’s eyes darted from side to side between hers, before dipping down to glance at her mouth. 

“Can I kiss you, my darling?” Loki whispered, blush rising higher in her cheeks.

Antonia bit the inside of her lip. She wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to. But— did she dare?

“Please.”

Loki slowly moved forward until their lips pressed gently together, both of them with their eyes still open, staring at each other across the short distance. 

Antonia’s eyes fluttered shut and she pressed more insistently towards Loki, sliding their mouths together. She gasped and Antonia drank it down like a heavenly elixir, like she needed it to live.

“Antonia,” Loki gasped, breaking the kiss.

“Yes?" She whispered.

She reached up and laid a gentle hand on Antonia’s cheek. “Do you know what we are doing?”

“Kissing,” Antonia hedged, feeling a slight blush rising in her cheeks. 

Loki giggled lightly. “Very funny, my dear. But do you know what this may lead to?”

Antonia swallowed against the lump in her throat. “No,” she whispered.

“Then let me teach you,” Loki whispered in reply and leaned back in to kiss her again.

Their lips met softly, gently, before meeting again with more force. Loki shook her head and swept her lips against Antonia’s. 

“Tell me what feels good, yes?” She said, pulling back for a moment.

Antonia was breathing unsteadily. She could only nod her head in reply, waiting with bated breath for Loki to kiss her again. 

Loki pressed forward and brought both her hands to Antonia’s chest and began to undo the buttons at the top of her nightgown. Her chilly hands slipped under and swept across her skin, raising goosebumps. 

Air hissed through Antonia’s nose as she tried to take in enough air while still kissing Loki. This was— it was the greatest thing she had ever felt and they hadn't even done any of…  _ that _ yet. 

She didn’t even know how they would do that with them both being women, but… Loki seemed to know what to do. She trusted Loki.

She trusted her to do right by her.

Loki’s chilly hand cupped her breast, thumb resting just millimeters away from her nipple while the rest of her fingers danced on the underside, stroking and lightly scratching till Antonia wanted to  _ writhe _ . Her thumb flicked over her nipple and she gasped at the feeling.

“Loki,” she whimpered, chest heaving.

Loki broke fully away from Antonia and moved down to kiss her neck, scraping her teeth over the delicate skin. 

“You’re so lovely, my Antonia,” she murmured, flicking her thumb again.

Antonia’s hands scrabbled on the bed, clutching the sheets in fisted hands. 

“Loki, I—”

“Do you need more?”

“More of what, I don’t know, but I want you,” Antonia said.

Loki nodded against her. “I can do that.” Her hands moved to unbutton the nightgown the rest of the way and then doing the same to her own. She pushed hers off, then pushed Antonia’s off, pulling her into a sitting position and into another kiss as she did so.

When both their nightgowns lay abandoned under them, she rolled them until she was hovering over Antonia, arms bracketing her face. Her eyes bounced between Antonia’s, before glancing back down at her lips.

“Kiss me,” Antonia begged, speaking through her nerves. 

Loki ducked down to kiss her, licking the seam of her lips to gain entrance.

Antonia parted her lips slowly, unsure of herself. She didn’t know what to do with her hands, what to do with her mouth, what to do with any of her body. 

“Calm down, darling,” Loki mumbled against her mouth, barely breaking the kiss to speak. “Just let me guide you.”

Antonia nodded shakily before pressing up on her own to kiss Loki. She carefully threaded her hands through her hair, tugging softly when Loki moaned. She slid her legs through the sheets until both of hers were wrapped around one of Loki’s. 

She broke the kiss and quirked a brow at Loki. “Is this alright?”

Loki smiled. “You’re perfect.” She dipped down to bring their mouths together again and this time thrust her tongue deep into Antonia’s mouth, sliding their tongues together. Antonia’s breath stuttered out her nose, shaky at best, barely there at worst. 

Antonia moaned and moved her hands till she was holding with a death grip on Loki’s upper arms. Their chests brushed, nipples catching on each other, making her moan again. 

Everything was so  _ new _ and  _ intense _ and she didn’t know what to do with herself. She dropped one of her hands to cradle Loki’s breast in the palm of her hand, grinding the heel of her palm on her nipple. 

Loki bit her lip, sharp canine teeth pricking the tender skin of the inside of her lip without drawing blood. 

Antonia thrust her hips up instinctively and something alit in her that she didn’t know the name of.

But she hoped Loki did. She hoped Loki knew all the answers to her unasked questions because she wanted to keep exploring whatever this was with her. Possibly for the rest of her life. 

Her kisses grew sloppy and her hips kept grinding into Loki, something in her desperate for release, but she didn’t know from what. 

“Loki,” she mumbled, breaking the kiss, “Loki, Loki, Loki.” Her name was all she could say at that point. 

“Yes, my darling?” Loki purred.

“I— I need, I don’t know what I need but please,” Antonia panted, “give it to me, give it to me now.”

“Of course,” Loki said, pecking her on the cheek. “I would do anything for you, my love.”

Her heart clenched at that before beating double time.

Loki ducked down and sucked a kiss into her neck, scraping her teeth there. She moved down farther, hands tracking with her. 

Antonia lost her grip on her breast and moved her hand back to her hair again, clenching it in a grip she knew had to be painful, but Loki didn’t voice any complaints.

Loki mouthed down her chest until she caught one of Antonia’s nipples in her mouth and sucked and nipped at it. 

Antonia’s back arched up, and Loki’s hand traced its way down her ribcage, fingers brushing delicately across her skin, leaving chilly trails in their wake.

One of her hands wound its way across her hip bone, brushing through the hair hiding her nether regions, and dove between her folds, cold digits finding their way into heated flesh. One finger brushed over her clitoris and Antonia let out a low moan. Her hips twitched up into the touch but Loki moved her hand with it, not letting Antonia direct the movement as she pleased.

Loki rubbed her finger in small circles over her clit, dragging small moans and pants from Antonia with every fidget of her finger. Two fingertips probed her opening, delicately spreading her labia open for more explorations.

It was too much, Loki's mouth at her breast, her fingers virtually inside her, her finger manipulating her clit like she was born to do it—

She felt an something building at the base of her spine, something small, not yet peaked, but building. She dragged in more heaving breaths, moans escaping her with every other exhale.

Loki's other hand disappeared from her side and went between the junction of her own thighs. Antonia could feel her wrist flexing as her fingers moved, doing who knew what, but… Antonia  _ did _ want to know. What wanted to know what drove Loki mad in all the best ways.

Her pleasure ratcheted higher with every movement of Loki’s fingers until her hand moved, and instead of a finger, it was her thumb rubbing her clit, and two fingers were inside her, spreading her open.

"Oh God," she moaned, loud enough that she startled herself.

She had read medical texts, curious about what she was made of, and while she knew that Loki was manually stimulating her clitoris and vaginal opening, she didn't know it could feel this  _ good _ . She had never done it herself, too nervous, but Loki— 

Antonia never wanted her to stop.

Her toes curled and pointed, and she could feel something building up low in her stomach, something that felt wholly different from anything else she had ever felt. 

Loki moved to her other nipple and sucked, hard, and Antonia's chest arched up into her mouth again. Loki's fingers moved over a particular spot inside her and she saw stars, literal stars spark across her vision. She turned her head to the side, trying to find some respite from the heat that was building up around her, but all she got was a view out the window at the full moon.

It seemed to swell in her vision as her— her  _ orgasm,  _ because that is what it had to be, built higher and higher, a wave about to crest, and the moon took over completely when she came, whiting out her vision before everything faded to black.

Seconds later she came to, her eyes fluttering, and she looked around for Loki before feeling a sharp pain in her breast, like someone was biting her.

She looked down, and Loki  _ was _ biting her. Her two sharp canine teeth had punctured her skin and blood welled around the protrusions, only for them to slide out in another painful movement and Loki began to suck.

Was she— no.

Was she  _ drinking her blood? _

Antonia's face screwed up and she gasped in fear, drawing Loki's eyes towards her. They grew wide— in surprise?— and Loki broke away.

"Antonia—" she said, blood soaking her lips.

"Get out!" Antonia yelled, pushing at Loki's shoulders. "Get out get out get out!"

"Please, let me at least—" Loki started before Antonia managed to actually push her off herself.

"Get out! I never want to see you again," Antonia spat, shivering in her bed more inches away from where Loki still rested.

Loki blinked and screwed her mouth up. "Alright, Antonia," she said, before getting up and picking up her nightgown. She drew it on, not even bothering to button it, and walked like an apparition through the door.

Antonia stared after her, wondering if it had all been a dream. But she glanced back down at her chest and saw the gently oozing marks and knew it hadn't been.

She settled herself back into bed and once more stared out the window. 

It was a long time before she could go to sleep, and the dreams she had were troubled, were dark images of Loki, but no black cats stalking her in her bed. 

Antonia woke up before dawn to a cold bed and rumpled sheets that she had never pulled up around herself the night before. She was still mad at Loki for hiding this, and thinking that she could do…  _ what she did _ while she was still awake and aware, like she wouldn’t realize what had been going on.

She didn’t feel bad for yelling at Loki, but she did feel bad for saying she never wanted to see her again. She felt bad about the moments they had shared that had then been shattered. She knew she wanted to see Loki again, needed to see her again like she needed to breathe, but here she was now, Loki-less.

She rolled onto her side, bare skin sliding against the sheets, and pulled her blankets up from by her feet. She stared at the wall and bit her lip, before glancing down at her chest. 

The marks were no less livid than it had been the night before, and scabbing no less. Two tooth-sized scabs approximately an inch apart were dark red with old blood. They were just above her breast, like a lover’s mark, like something she would have welcomed from Loki if she hadn’t betrayed her like she did. 

She wanted to cry. She wanted to talk to someone. She wanted to rage and yell and see Loki again. 

She wanted to see Loki again above all else. 

There was a tentative knock at her door, before someone called, “Antonia? It’s— it’s me, Loki.”

Antonia closed her eyes before getting up and throwing on a dressing gown. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Yes?” She asked, voice cold.

Loki looked down at her feet before offering what was in her hands. A locket, and a hairbrush. “I— wanted to explain.”

Antonia glanced at the items before looking Loki in the eye and asked, “Explain what?”

“What happened last night, and on previous nights, as I’m sure you’ve deduced by now,” Loki mumbled.

Antonia had. The livid mark on her chest in the past days, the lethargy, the pale color she had taken. Loki had been feeding on her for some days, and never said a word.

Against her better judgment, she wanted to know Loki’s story.

She stepped aside and let Loki in, taking a deep breath as she did so. 

“How are you still awake?” She asked, watching Loki as she walked across the room to Antonia’s bed. 

She sat down and patted the space next to her. “Will you sit?”

“In my own time.” Antonia walked past the bed towards the dressing screen and picked up a set of clothes from her dressing table. “How are you still awake?” She repeated, stepping behind the screen and dropping her dressing gown from her shoulders.

“I don’t sleep during the night time, as you know,” Loki replied, voice drifting behind the screen. “This is usually around the time I go to sleep actually.”

Antonia pulled her bloomers up and pulled her chemise on after that. Her loosely laced corset came next, and then her petticoats, and then her pocket string and then—

She looked up and Loki was standing at her side.

She jumped and gasped, clutching her skirt to her chest.

Loki bit her lip, canine teeth pressing delicately into the flesh. “May I help you dress?”

Antonia swallowed, hard. Her skirt shifted against her skin as her hands shook before she carefully extended her arms in Loki’s direction, offering her the piece of clothing.

“You don’t wear a bustle?” Loki asked, shaking out the skirt before raising it up so Antonia could pull it on. 

“Obviously not,” Antonia replied, voice icy. She sighed and softened her tone. “They’re just there to shape the body and I have no use for it. They get in my way.”

Loki hummed as Antonia pulled the skirt over her shoulders. When it was in place, she tied it at the hip and picked up the blouse. She held it out to Antonia and made sure it stayed in place as she put her arms through the sleeves. She then walked around to Antonia’s front and began buttoning the many pearl buttons up her front.

She ran her hands down Antonia’s sides to free the shirt of any wrinkles, leaving her hands to frame her waist when she was done.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she whispered, head bowed, dark curls cascading over her shoulders. “I thought you were asleep and that you wouldn’t notice and.” She stopped for a moment. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Antonia placed her hand on Loki’s forearm. “But you did. And I don’t know if I can forgive you for it yet.”

Loki’s lips thinned and she shook her head. She swallowed. “I understand.” She took her hands off of Antonia’s waist and grabbed her hand. “May I ask something of you?”

“It depends.”

“I have an explanation,” Loki said and began leading Antonia from behind the screen. “May I do your hair while I explain?”

“…Yes,” Antonia said, letting herself be led to the bed. 

She sat on the side of it, one leg drawn up on it so that she was facing the wall and Loki could sit down behind her.

“Pick up the locket, please?” Loki asked, grabbing the brush from beside it.

Antonia did so, noting that it was big enough for a nicely sized portrait inside. She clicked the mechanism to open the locket and it snapped open in her palm.

Loki began brushing her hair.

“On the left is the first girl my mother left me with,” Loki said, then paused for a moment. “Mother. I shouldn’t even call her that, but that’s the only word that I know that can describe what she is to me. She turned me into what I am after all.” Loki stopped again and paused the brush strokes. She started again after a moment. “But that’s not what I’m here to tell you about. She was the first girl Mother left me with, and I fell in love with her. I wasn’t supposed to, I was supposed to get into her good graces and feed on her and kill her and find Mother at home afterward.” 

Loki sighed. “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill her, I couldn’t—so I fed on surrounding girls. I drank their blood and killed them without compunction and prayed that she would never die. After five months, Mother came looking for me. She figured out what had happened and—” Loki’s voice broke. “She killed them. The entire family. The family I had grown close to, had grown to love alongside the girl I loved, and she killed them because I hadn’t followed her instructions.”

Antonia held her tongue. She didn’t know what to say anyway. She let her head relax into Loki’s hands though, and if it was possible, Loki gentled her brushing even more from what it had been.

“I followed her instructions from then on, with one exception,” Loki said. “The girl on the right. I tried not to, but I fell in love with her and I told her. I couldn’t help it. I needed her to know so that I could feel— could feel something again, hope to find a future with her somehow.” Loki put down the brush and began braiding her hair. “We planned to run away together, get some livestock that I could drink from so I didn’t have to drink from her or townsfolk all the time, and I was going to leave my old life of death behind.”

“It didn’t work, did it.”

“It didn’t work.” Loki cleared her throat of all roughness. “Mother came back early, looking for me, said she had found a new house for me already.” Her fingers trembled in Antonia’s hair. 

Antonia wanted to reach back and comfort her with a hand on her arm but she didn’t know if she could forgive herself if she forgave Loki so quickly. Despite being well on her way already, she needed something more. She needed true remorse for her actions the night before.

“Mother discovered what we were planning and she—” Loki stuttered and stopped, unable to continue. “I never saw her again, and my mother sequestered me in our castle for 50 years, barely giving me enough blood to survive.” Her hands started on the other side of Antonia’s head now, braiding the other half of her hair. “I never saw her again, but my mother came to me and gloated soon after she trapped me that she had drained her and displayed her rotting corpse just out of view of my window. I never knew if she was telling the truth or not.”

“Loki…” Antonia said, trailing off, not knowing what to say.

“I regretted my actions with her, enough to repent to my mother and beg her for her forgiveness. She accepted, and let me free. It’s been a century since then, since I’ve never thought of disobeying my mother like that again.

“Until I met you.”

Antonia closed her eyes, feeling them start to well up with tears. She felt Loki finish off her braids and pull them into a bun at the base of her skull. She secured it with a pin, then circled around so she could face Antonia.

“I never wanted to hurt you, but I’ve been scared to. Scared this entire time of my mother. I never wanted you to find out that way.” Loki’s eyes were welling up. “I didn’t want her to take you away from me, so I— I did what she wanted.”

“But why?” Antonia asked, leaning forward and grabbing Loki’s hands. “Why didn’t you just— just run away or something?”

“I have before,” Loki whispered. “She found me and… things were not good for quite a while.”

Antonia sighed and looked down at their joined hands. “Are you sorry for what you did last night?” She glanced up at Loki, making sure she made eye contact. Loki was a good liar, but even she couldn’t make her eyes lie.

“More than anything, Antonia,” she whispered.

And it rang true.

Antonia moved one of her hands to the back of Loki’s head and pulled her forward till their foreheads gently met. She rested there for a moment, then shook her head. 

“I’m sorry, Loki,” she said. “Please, is there anything I can do?”

“Let me kiss you?” Loki asked, pulling back, eyes bouncing between hers.

The corner of her mouth twitched upward. “Of course, my darling.”

***

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Antonia made her way down to the kitchen for an early breakfast, only to poke at it, glaring and not hungry.

“You alright?” Howard said from behind the mail he was reading.

“Yes,” Antonia said, still scraping her food around her plate. She gritted her teeth for a moment before finally asking. “What did the doctor say?”

Howard scoffed. “He said it was a vampire attacking you in the night.”

Antonia choked on the water she had started to drink.

Howard gave her a look before speaking once more. “Can’t believe I paid for that with my hard-earned money.”

Antonia grinned weakly at him. “I’m fine.” She poked at her meal one more time before setting her fork down. “May I be excused?” She asked.

“Yes,” Howard said, distracted once more by whatever he was reading.

Antonia stood up and walked calmly out of the room, breaking into a run when she was out of view. She had to talk to Loki.

She sprinted down the halls until she came upon Loki’s door and almost slammed into it when she didn’t stop in time.

“Loki!” She yelled, banging on the door with the flat of her palm. “Loki I need to talk to you.”

She put her ear to the door and heard nothing from within. 

“Dammit,” she whispered. “Damn it all to hell.”

She put her hand on the doorknob and stopped for a moment. She didn't want to invade Loki’s privacy, but needs must. And plus Loki had invaded hers first, so this was fine, right?

She turned the doorknob easily, surprised that it wasn’t locked.

“Loki?” She murmured, peeking inside the room.

The curtains were drawn, casting the room in shadow, but she could still see the bed, and the unmoving form that rested upon it. 

She crept into the room, careful not to step on anything that could make her fall and trip.

She thought for a moment that it was strange that she was creeping through Loki’s room when she hadn’t woken with her yelling outside of her door, but then she realized it was more dangerous for someone to discover her here than a sleepy Loki was.

She arrived at the side of the bed and sat down on the edge closest to Loki.

“Loki,” she said, resting her hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly. “Loki, we need to talk, and we need to talk now.”

“Wha—” Loki moaned, her eyelids fluttering. “Whaisit?”

“Someone knows there is a vampire in the area. The doctor does. That’s what he thinks is wrong with me.”

“Oh god,” she groaned, moving her hand to cover her eyes. “This’s no good.” Sleep was clouding her voice, and she looked like she was dipping under again in seconds.

“Loki,” Antonia hissed. “What do I do?”

“Wha’ever you think is—” she yawned. “— is best.” And with that she was asleep again, snoring softly. 

Antonia tried not to let it endear her any more to Loki than she already was.

She looked around the room in defeat before she heard the maid knocking at her room next door. She had left for the breakfast room soon after Loki had kissed her again this morning, and then come to Loki’s room after breakfast. Did the maid even know she was awake? Likely not.

Then she was struck with an idea. An idea most genius, if she did say so herself.

She walked to the door and opened it, sticking her head out and turning it towards her room. 

“Hey!” She called, dragging the maid’s attention towards her. “I need you to call the doctor.”

“What are you doing in Miss Loki’s room, miss?” The maid asked, ignoring her command.

“We are planning a murder and coup, all in the early daylight hours,” she drawled in reply, wondering when people would actually listen to her. 

The maid looked stricken, clutching her hand to her chest.

Antonia rolled her eyes. “Oh my good Lord, Loki came down with something in the night and I’ve been caring for her. I  _ need _ you to call for the doctor.”

The maid swallowed roughly, and scurried off, glancing back at Antonia one last time.

“The doctor!” She called after her.

She just hoped she listened.

She closed the door and went back to sit on the side of the bed, staring at Loki longingly for a moment. She scooted closer until she was sitting higher on the bed, closer to Loki’s torso. She reached out and brushed her hand across the side of her face, unafraid of waking her now that she knew how deeply she slept. 

She wound her fingers through her hair, gently combing it back, and waited for the doctor.

It seemed to take hours, and eventually, Antonia couldn't take just staring at Loki anymore, despite loving her features, and went to her room to get her journal. She had a lot to talk about, and possibly design.

After she wrote her entry she started on a design for something that might come in handy later. She just had to find the time and equipment, and maybe she could make it.

The door opened, and her head snapped up. Loki remained sleeping at her side, undisturbed by the door.

"You called?" The doctor asked.

"Yes, sir," Antonia said. "My friend, she had a fit in the night, called out for me and said something was attacking her, drinking her blood. I know you think a vampire was attacking me, sir, so I was wondering—"

"You were wondering if the creature had moved on to your friend?"

Antonia nodded gravely, trying to fight back her smile. She always smiled when she lied for some reason.

"Let me examine her," the doctor said, pulling his stethoscope from the bag he carried with him.

He set the bag on the other side of the bed and sat down next to it. He put in the earpieces, then placed the diaphragm on Loki’s chest, above where her heart would be. He listened for a moment, then put the stethoscope away. He looked at her pallor and squinted in the gloom of the room.

“Get me a lamp, would you please?” He asked Antonia. 

Antonia got up and walked to the other side of the room where there was a lamp on the side table. It was dusty, but it would do. She took a match and lit it, then brought it over. She brought it close to Loki, the flame casting an orange glow to her skin.

The doctor nodded. “I daren’t look for a mark without the young lady knowing, but I do believe the vampire moved from you to her, dear girl. The slowed heartbeat, the paleness— it’s strange that it moved on without killing you, but it is a blessing, that is for certain.”

Antonia hitched her breath like she was about to start crying. 

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” the doctor soothed. “There are things that can be done to stop the vampire.”

“Like killing it?” Antonia asked.

“Yes, like killing it, but that’s something for the men to do, not you.”

“My father doesn’t believe you,” she said, shaking her head and fiddling with her hands, giving off an air of nerves. “There's no one that can do anything but myself.”

The doctor hummed. “What about the owner of the house?”

“He isn’t here right now.”

“What if I wrote a letter to him?” The doctor asked. “Would he believe me?”

“He might,” Antonia said, biting her lip. “But I don’t know him very well.”

The doctor folded his hands in his lap. “Then I will write a letter to him, and tell you in the strictest confidence what you must do.”

And he did. A stake through the heart, then decapitation, then flame. That is what would kill a vampire.

And Antonia knew which vampire she was going to kill.

The doctor had left long ago, but Antonia still sat at Loki’s bedside, thinking about what she had to do. She watched Loki’s chest rise and fall with her breaths and thought about their future, what they could have together if her plan worked the way it should. 

If Loki went along with the plan.

Loki  _ needed  _ to go along with the plan.

***

Loki stirred, yawning, flashing her fangs in the light that still managed to shine through the curtains. She startled then smiled softly when she saw Antonia sitting at her bedside.

“Are you well, dear?” She asked, clearing her throat. 

“Do you remember me waking you up earlier?” Antonia asked, staring at her over her folded hands.

“Not really, no,” Loki said, cocking her head to the side. “Did something happen?”

“The doctor knows there is a vampire in the area, and now thinks you’ve been attacked as well.”

“ _ What!? _ ” Loki yelped, bolting upright in bed, hair a messy halo around her face. “This is— bloody hell, this is beyond all things that could possibly go wrong.”

“Except it isn't.” Antonia leaned forward, laying her hand on Loki’s cheek. “I have the beginnings of a plan, but I need your help.”

Loki leaned into the touch. “I want to trust you, but I need to hear this plan first.”

“The end result should be.” Antonia paused, unsure how to word it. “It should be your mother’s death."

Loki’s eyes widened and she gasped. “Death?”

“I know from the doctor how to kill vampires now, and if we lure her here, we can—”

“If we lure her here, you will  _ die _ ,” Loki spat. “I’m not doing it.”

“What if—” Antonia started, wildly searching for a new proposition. “What if you took her somewhere else, somewhere that I could be protected from?”

Loki paused, considering. “It would have to be a hell of a place to keep her there.”

“What were you, before she turned you?” Antonia asked. 

“I was a duchess, of the territory Jotunheim.”

“Were there graves on the lands?” 

“I was supposedly buried in my family mausoleum on the grounds, so yes.”

“What if we— you took her there?”

Loki shook her head. “The mausoleum would have to be sealed completely to hold her in.”

“Even for a short while?” Antonia pressed.

Loki paused. “It could hold her for a short while, yes.”

“And who did you— who did your mother leave you with before you arrived with us?” 

Loki swallowed before answering. “Captain Rogers’, while he was visiting another old friend, much like your father.”

Antonia clapped her hands once and crowed, “Oh, this is perfect!”

“How is it perfect?” Loki asked, confused. “Aren’t you mad? I— I killed his ward.”

“We’ll get to that later— but right now, hopefully soon, the doctor will be writing a letter to our dear Captain Rogers, and he will be told that there is a vampire in the area. Hopefully, he will be told our symptoms and align them with Sharon’s, and then we will have a willing vampire hunter on our hands.” Antonia’s victory was too much too handle for herself and she jumped up and danced around the room. “Oh, this is perfection and a half!”

Loki chuckled and held out her hands for her. “Come here, darling.”

Antonia sped towards the bed and launched herself upon it, landing half on Loki, half on the bed, skirt all ruffled around her. “My plan is coming along beautifully, thank you very much, my love.”

Loki looked down at her and combed her fingers through her hair. “Now that we have a vampire and a willing vampire hunter on our hands, what say you explain the rest of your plan?” She asked.

Antonia nodded. “The doctor writes a letter to Rogers, telling him of what is going on. He starts on a journey here, intending to find out what is going on. Before he gets here however, we lure your mother to your old grounds and.” She took a deep breath. “Then we kill her. The doctor told me that a wooden stake through the heart— though that part is optional— decapitation, then burning the body should take care of it.” “It” like she wasn't planning on killing a human-shaped being. "And then we ask Rogers to take the credit so we don't get in trouble. Blame her for all the death that happened and keep us out of the limelight. And the doctor supports our blame by saying that you were affected as well, so how could you be the vampire? Additionally, Rogers won't blame you either, since your mother was with you at the time— easily able to kill Sharon. The doctor telling Rogers it was your mother will keep you out of harm's way."

She didn't dare think things that might make her come to regret what she was embarking on doing, not now. Not when she was so close to— to something approaching happiness. She knew she would eventually have to think about the dirty details but for now—

For now she could find it in herself to just want to kiss the woman she loved, and revel in a plan that was already going well.

***

Well into the afternoon, Antonia asked, “Would you like to go on a walk with me?”

Loki nodded distractedly, busy reading over the plans Antonia had in her journal. “And this will shoot a stake at a long distance? Do you know how accurate it will be? It has to be precise.”

“Loki,” Antonia whined. “You’re not listening to me.”

“What did you say, dearheart?” Loki asked, looking up.

Antonia groaned. “Walk. About the grounds. Now,” she said, getting up. “My turn to help you dress.”

Loki smiled and stretched. She pulled back the blankets and stood, shedding her nightgown in the same movement. 

Antonia's breath caught, looking at her naked body in the half-light. She breathed out shakily before standing and joining Loki by her dressing table. She couldn’t help but reach out and run her hand down her back, tracing each vertebra in its place.

Loki shifted under her touch, arching into it, sighing as she did so. “It’s been so  _ long _ since I’ve been touched so freely,” she murmured.

Antonia smiled to herself before reaching out with her other hand and bringing both hands to Loki’s waist, framing it. She tugged Loki back into her body and wrapped her arms around her. “I will touch you as freely as I desire.”

Loki turned her head to look at her and searched her eyes, then smiled. “Good.” She placed her hands on top of Antonia’s for a moment, before prying herself loose. “Now help me dress, you wanted to go on a walk after all.”

“Yes, I did.” Antonia turned towards Loki’s dressing table and drew out clothes for the day and helped her into them, taking special care with each article of clothing.

They finished and Antonia kissed her one last time in the privacy of Loki’s room, knowing they couldn't do it out in the manor. They could probably get away with it on the grounds, and Antonia looked forward to it— feeling Loki’s lips on hers as well as dappled sunlight on her face and a breeze blowing past.

They walked hand in hand through the manor and out to the grounds, walking down the wandering trails until they arrived at the gate to the land.

As they arrived, Antonia could hear some noise getting louder and louder, which sounded like many people talking all at once. 

“What is that?” Antonia asked, not really expecting Loki to answer her rhetorical question.

Loki stiffened beside her. “It’s a funeral procession.”

“I didn’t know anyone died,” Antonia said. “You would have thought that news would have made it here.”

“It was probably sudden,” Loki murmured. “Some sickness in the village maybe?”

“No, that news would have made its way here as well,” Antonia replied, shaking her head. “What could have happened?”

Loki shrugged. “I don’t know, love, why don’t we just continue our walk?”

“But I want to know,” Antonia insisted. “Let’s wait until the end and ask someone.”

Loki sighed before squeezing her hand. “Alright.”

They watched as the procession passed, and with it, the chanting. There were a few stragglers behind the procession, and one of them, a man of medium height, stopped at the gate when Antonia waved him over.

“May I ask who died?” She asked.

He nodded. “Miss Mary Tibald, she died just yesterday.”

“I’m so sorry,” Antonia said, placing her free hand on her chest. “Was it sudden? Or was she sick?”

“Rumor had it she had some kind of illness, but no one knew what. She was tired and pale, and then her family shut her away. Had to be one with delusions though, because she was shouting about some black cat that was stalking her at night in her room the day before last.”

Antonia stiffened, and she noticed Loki did as well.

“A black cat?” She asked.

“The ravings of a deranged young girl,” the man sighed. 

Antonia chewed on her lip. “Most likely, sir.”

He tipped his hat to them and began walking down the path again. “You girls have a nice rest of your day,” he called.

“You as well!” Antonia yelled back.

She closed her eyes for a long moment, then opened them and sighed before turning to Loki. “It was your fault, wasn’t it.”

Loki hesitated before nodding. “I’m sorry, Antonia, but this is what I am. I can’t change it. I can drink from animals for a short while but eventually, I need human blood again.”

“You killed an innocent girl,” Antonia retorted. “And— and— it’s later, so I can bring up the captain’s ward. What did she and Mary ever do to deserve what you did to them?” 

“They were there,” Loki said matter of factly. “I’m a predator, Antonia. I feed on the lifeblood of humanity and I can’t stop myself without dying or going insane, and I’d rather not do either.”

“Then why am I still alive?” Antonia spat. “Why am I alive while they’re dead? Hell, Mary died just yesterday, so that means you were feeding on her and me at the same time. Why am I still here?”

“Because I love you,” Loki said, reaching for and catching Antonia’s other hand. “I was drinking from Mary so quickly so that I could take less from you, to save you for as long as I could.”

“Savor, you mean,” Antonia said, voice shaking. 

Loki sighed. “Whatever you want me to say, I will say it. If you want the truth, I’ll tell you the truth. If you want a lie, I’ll tell you the most comforting thing I can think up. But it won’t change what I am. And if you want to end my mother’s life so that we can be together, then you have to get used to it.”

Antonia tore her hands away and turned around, facing the copse of trees off the side of the path. “I don’t know what I want,” she said. “All I know is that I want you.”

Loki reached out and placed her hand on her shoulder. “Then we can figure that out as we go. But I have to keep feeding, and I won't do it on you without your permission now that you know about me.”

Antonia buried her face in her hands. She didn’t know what to do. She just— she wanted Loki. She turned back around and flung her arms around her, burying her face in her neck. “Promise me you’ll tell me when you go out to feed?” She mumbled into her neck.

Loki nodded against her head. “I usually go out every other night— I’ll wake you when I go and when I come back.”

Antonia pulled back. “Sleep with me tonight? If you’re not going out?”

Loki nodded again. “I went out and fed on someone else last night after our… meeting, let’s call it, so I can.”

Antonia winced at the mention of feeding on someone else, but she managed to keep her feelings from showing otherwise. “Alright.”

“Would you like to go back for dinner now?” Loki asked.

Antonia looked up at the sky and the setting sun. It was far later than she had first assumed. “Yes, let’s.”

***

Loki came to her that night and they wrapped themselves around each other, staring into each other’s eyes until Antonia succumbed to sleep. Then Antonia left Loki in her bed until the afternoon and came to help her dress again.

They spent the rest of the day together, going over their plan, and Loki kissed her goodnight before she left to go feed on someone. She had warned Antonia that she would be out late, needing to drink from multiple people to build her strength up if she wanted to fight her mother, and Antonia understood. 

That didn’t stop her from staying up as long as she could, waiting for her.

It was near dawn when Loki woke her, sitting on the side of her bed and brushing back her hair.

"Loki?" Antonia mumbled, sleep thickening her voice.

"Yes, it's me, darling," she murmured, continuing to comb her fingers through her hair. "Just wanted to let you know I was back before I went to bed."

Antonia slung an arm over her thigh and snuggled close. "Sure you can't sleep here again?"

Loki shook her head. "The servants may grow suspicious if you don't let them in here for the third morning in a row."

Antonia huffed. "Dammit."

"Dammit, indeed," Loki said with a sigh. "But soon we will be able to sleep in together all we like."

Antonia yawned and nodded, then sat up. She moved in close to Loki and let her complete the movement so they kissed.

Her mouth opened under Loki's and her tongue darted into her mouth and Antonia thought they were going somewhere—

Only for that hope to be dashed when Loki recoiled back, wiping her lips. 

Antonia giggled. "Are vampires not used to morning breath?"

"No," Loki said. "I get it too, I'm just not used to kissing someone while they still have it." She looked down at her lap. "The last girl I wanted to run away with never let me see her at her worst. I think she was afraid to break the bubble of our love."

Antonia scoffed. "Well, no offense, my love, but that just sounds boring."

Loki smiled at her softly. “Now that I look back on it, it kind of was.”

Antonia sighed and pushed away from Loki. “Time for me to get up and for you to go to sleep. I’ll see you this afternoon.” She kissed her cheek, lingering for a moment before pulling away again.

Loki stood up and smoothed her skirts before walking towards the door. She put her hand on the doorknob before turning back to face Antonia. “I’ll miss you,” she said.

Antonia stopped unbuttoning her nightgown and looked up at her. She smiled. “I’ll miss you, too.”

Loki glanced down with a content look on her face and opened the door, slipping through it in the dim morning light. 

Antonia took care of her morning ablutions with more haste than usual and dressed in yesterday’s clothes, since they were still out. She was in a rush today because—

Because she had a weapon capable of incapacitating a vampire to build today.

***

“Why do you need my spare tools again?” Howard asked her, staring down at his workbench, goggles covering his eyes to protect them from unwanted particles in the air.

“I told you, I have an experiment to run,” Antonia lied once more.

Howard looked up at her, not putting his tools down. “You know I don’t approve of you running your experiments without my supervision. I can’t rightly do that now. Can’t it just wait until later?”

“No,” Antonia said. “Loki and I are to go on a walk later and I don’t want to cut into that time with her to do an experiment when I have plenty of time to do it now.”

He sighed and shook his head before looking back down. “Fine, they're over there.”

Antonia trotted over and picked up all that she could carry in her arms. She didn’t know exactly what she would need but she should be able to cobble together anything that didn’t work right away. 

She took them back to her room and dumped them on the floor, then went to look for the outdoor woodpile. She grabbed some good sized switches and thin logs, trying to get a variety for what she assumed would be a few trials and errors. 

She worked all morning, basing it off of readings she had done in the past on military weaponry, but it was still a trial to make a working device. She had to sneak out of the house again and make stakes out of more logs, suitable enough to make practice ammunition. It took all morning, with several test runs, before she finally made a suitable weapon, one that could shoot from a far enough distance but still had the accuracy needed, but she eventually did it.

She glanced at the clock across the hall from her room and ran next door. She slowly opened the door, aiming to stop it from creaking. 

She slipped inside and sat on the side of the bed just as Loki began stirring. She flinched when she felt the presence of another body in her bed, but when she opened her eyes, she smiled faintly at Antonia.

“Did you have a productive morning?” She asked, sleep making her voice rough. 

Antonia smiled down at her. “Yes, I managed to make a crossbow that shoots stakes.”

“As long as you don't point it at me, I’m fine with that,” Loki mumbled, closing her eyes and yawning.

Antonia laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Loki smiled, her eyes still closed. “Good.”

“Ready to get up?” Antonia asked, placing her hand on her hip through the bedclothes. 

“Not really,” Loki said, turning on her side and wrapping her arms around Antonia’s waist. “Can’t we just stay here forever?”

“Lovely as that may sound, it isn’t exactly plausible,” Antonia said, stroking her back.

“Damn,” Loki mumbled, pressing her face into her stomach.

“Damn,” Antonia repeated. She stopped stroking her back and stood up, leaving Loki to flop onto the bed. “Come on, Loki, we have things to do.”

Loki groaned, flinging her arm over her eyes. “The sun, it’s too bright.”

Laughter erupted from Antonia. “Darling, it’s as dark as twilight in here.”

Loki peeked out at her from under her arm. “But why get up when we can spend our time in bed?”

“We have other things to do!” Antonia reprimanded, but her giggling softened it.

“Like what?” Loki asked, turning onto her back and looking at Antonia head on.

“Like— like more planning,” Antonia sputtered.

“We have a plan, and can only wait for Rogers to come here,” Loki said.

Antonia glared weakly at her. “We have to test the crossbow.”

“You said you already got it to where you wanted it.”

Antonia’s lips thinned. “Fine, we have nothing to do. But!” She said, holding up a finger, “we still need to spend time together because that’s what I told Father I was going to do this afternoon, and that’s why I needed his tools so badly this morning.”

Loki rolled her eyes. “Ah yes, what a hardship.”

“Just get dressed, and meet me by the door,” Antonia said, stepping away from the bed. 

“Yes, dear,” she heard being called out to her as she walked across the room.

***

The afternoon was— a revelation. She discovered she could bring the same pleasure to Loki that Loki had brought to her, that this relationship wouldn't be a one-sided thing. 

She wondered if Loki would like it by the seaside.

She wondered if Loki would like it by  _ her _ side. She had loved others before her, after all, and Loki was her first and last. Seemingly her first and last. She didn’t quite know what to make of it. If it was her first and last love, did she really know that it was love?

But when she looked down at Loki, still laying on the ground by her side, she couldn’t help but feel her heart melt a little at seeing her so open, so free. It was— amazing to see.

"Loki, are you ready to do what we need to do?" She asked, reaching across the blanket to trail her fingers down her cheekbone, cradling her jaw in her palm.

Loki smiled and turned into the touch. "For you, I'm ready to do anything."

Antonia smiled in return. "I think we should enact our plan next week."

Loki stiffened under her hand. "So soon?"

She nodded. "It's the only thing that makes sense, in case she somehow has spies looking in on us. She won't have as much time to prepare if she knows nothing." She stroked her thumb across Loki's cheekbone. "You will send a letter to her, asking to meet on your old estate, and we'll fight her there.”

Loki's lips thinned. "Antonia, if something happens to you…"

"Nothing will happen to me," she replied, smile softening and shaking her head. "You'll be there to protect me."

Loki still looked skeptical. "As long as you promise to leave if things start to go wrong."

Antonia bit her lip but nodded. Inside though, she knew she wouldn't go if it meant putting Loki in any more danger.

***

It was a long week, one that had Antonia looking over her shoulder every 15 minutes, a creeping feeling on the back of her neck making her feel like she was being watched.

They didn't dare sleep in each other's rooms again in case they were caught and separated, but they did go on more picnics, despite the colder weather encroaching in on them.

Antonia often woke early and practiced with the crossbow as best as she could, with the limited targets available. She didn't know how far away Loki's mother might be if she had to shoot her so she chose trees of varying distances away from her to shoot at, choosing a new clearing each morning.

The day came when Loki sent the letter and Antonia stuck to her side throughout the day, like her mere presence could protect her.

The messenger left for the manor that Loki's mother was staying at, three days away by horse, and Antonia couldn't help but pull Loki into her room and onto her bed, tucking herself into her side, needing her presence more than ever.

"I don't want anything to go wrong," Antonia whispered, brushing her fingers up and down the seam of Loki's dress.

Loki wrapped her arms around her, sweeping one hand up and down her back. "We will prevail, darling."

Antonia lifted her head off of her chest to look at her more clearly. "How do you know?"

Loki kissed her forehead. "I have to be certain else I don't know what I would do to protect you."

***

Loki and Antonia set out the day that Loki had asked her mother to meet her at her ancestral home.

Antonia rode astride her horse, leather riding pants tucked into her boots, the tail of her riding jacket splayed out behind her. One hand held the crossbow in her lap while the other held the reins.

Loki rode beside her, sword tucked into her belt and matches tucked into a pouch on her waist. 

They were as ready as they could be.

The ride was tense and long, what should have been a few hours ride seeming to stretch out into eternity. Silence reigned over them, weighing on them like a dense fog.

The plan was that Antonia would hide among the tombstones on the manor grounds, crossbow at the ready, while Loki would confront the woman who had masqueraded as her mother for so long. Loki would try to lure her into the family mausoleum and kill her there, no involvement needed from Antonia. Antonia was ready, however, ready to do whatever she needed to do. And she wasn’t hopeful that she wouldn’t be needed.

They reined their horses in a few minute’s walk from the cemetery and tied them to a nearby tree, hiding the evidence of two riders. Loki walked ahead of Antonia, while she walked a few rows separate from her and stopped walking forward long before Loki did, trying to hide from wherever Loki's mother might be.

Antonia knew they were both nervous. Loki’s mother likely wouldn’t fall for any real ruse they could come up with to escape her for a long period of time so killing her really was the only route available to them. She didn’t like it, and didn’t imagine Loki did either, but if they wanted to be together—

Antonia shook her head to gather herself then looked through the deteriorating stones towards the two figures standing in the distance.

She couldn’t hear what was being said, but she saw the way Loki’s face snapped to the side when her mother slapped her. Loki’s hand rested on the pommel of her sword, but she didn’t draw it. She heard raised voices but still couldn’t hear clear words. She grit her teeth and set up her crossbow on top of one of the grave stones, squinting through the sight until she had Loki’s mother in the cross hairs.

Loki’s mother then shoved Loki down and Antonia had to cover her mouth to stop herself from yelling out. She still made a small sound though, and Loki’s mother’s head whipped towards her direction.

More raised voices, almost guttural sounds coming from Loki’s mother, before she began stalking towards Antonia. 

And that  _ was _ what she was doing, stalking her. 

Antonia felt chills race down her back and arms before she stepped backwards, still aiming for Loki’s mother. She stepped back again and again until she hit a gravestone and she was frozen, unable to move any longer.

Even from this distance, she could feel it when those inhuman eyes locked on her. She sucked in a heaving breath before dropping the aim of the crossbow and bolting for the horses. The crossbow hit her leg and she tried not to damage it but she was running too fast to check for certain. She could hear stone crashing and breaking behind her but she didn’t dare look.

She stumbled to a stop and scrambled atop her horse, looking her pursuer in the eye as she brought the crossbow up again and aimed and—

Loki shot towards her mother, steel blade shining in an arc below her as she sliced her head off, metal cutting through cloth and hair and flesh alike.

Antonia dropped the crossbow to the ground and buried her face in her hands, breath shuddering out of her. Loki stepped up beside her, arms stretching up and around her waist, her face buried into her thigh.

“It’s— it’s over, isn’t it?” Loki asked, voice shaking. “I never have to do anything she tells me to do again.”

Antonia rested on hand on her hair. “Never, my love.”

Loki’s breath hitched before coming out in a sob. “Is it— bad? That I feel bad for what I have done?”

“No,” she said, smoothing her hand down over the back of her head. “She was the closest thing you had to a mother for years now.”

Antonia disentangled Loki’s arms from around her waist before climbing down off of the horse again. “Let me take care of the rest, alright?” She said, cradling Loki’s face in her hands. She tugged the pouch on Loki’s waist open and grabbed the book of matches, tucking it up her sleeve for the moment. She left Loki staring at the corpse beside their horses, going into the nearby gathering of trees for kindling and longer burning wood. 

They would need fuel for this next portion of their plan.

Antonia gathered as much as she could in her arms before arranging it around the body. The head had rolled a short distance away and she softly kicked it back towards the body, unwilling to touch it with her skin.

She struck multiple matches and dropped them in different places across the body and wood, flames catching in different places at different times. The acrid smell of burning hair and flesh burnt her nose and she breathed through her mouth for a few moments before deciding that tasting it directly was worse than breathing it.

She turned towards Loki, reaching out for her. Loki stepped into her space and leaned her head against her shoulder, tucking her face into her neck.

“Can we go somewhere else now?” She mumbled, breath still shaky.

Antonia smiled sadly. “How does the seaside sound?”

***

_ The preceding account is as truthful as it could be, seeing as Antonia Stark and Loki (unknown family name) were only slightly more open in their journals than they were in real life to their neighbors, but the historians working on this case believe this is what happened in the months before Antonia Stark disappeared, appearing only once more to publish her memoir. Journals were found in a seaside cottage where a woman named Antonia was soon seen living with a dark-haired woman of a similar description to Loki, according to the journals of the villagers living there. _

_ Nothing can be said for certain of course, but the historians do admit to hoping that Antonia and Loki got their happy ending. They gained a soft spot for the couple in their readings. _

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE GIVE ME VALIDATION FOR THE CARMILLA AU AND READ THE FIRST PART AS WELL AND GIVE ME COMMENTS IM BEGGING  
> also please dont say sorry about my stepdad dying i will,,, likely bad cry over my comments then. thanks.


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